Author: claimsbot

We claim:

1. A hydroponic conduit comprising a dimensionally stable elongate member having at least one opening formed therein through which a plant may extend, wherein the elongate member is of substantially elliptical cross-section having an upper surface and a major axis, said at least one opening being formed in the upper surface of said member and wherein the major axis of the substantially elliptical cross-section of said member is substantially horizontal.
2. The conduit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said member has an etched line in the upper surface which functions as a guide to allow openings to be cut into the member.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method of producing a wind turbine blade, comprising:
providing a mould of the desired shape, the mould having a longitudinal direction (L);
laying one or more layers of reinforcement or foam material onto the inner walls of the mould; and
positioning in the desired position the one or more layers of reinforcement or foam material by using one or more devices in order to climb up the inner walls of the mould.
2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising moving at least one of the one or more devices along the longitudinal direction of the mould after placing at least one layer of the one or more layers of reinforcement or foam material.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more devices is oriented in a chordwise direction of the mould.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more devices is placed next to one side of one layer of the one or more layers of reinforcement or foam material.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein two devices of the one or more devices are used, the two devices being placed at opposite sides of one layer of the one or more layers of fiber or reinforcement material.
6. A device for climbing up an inclined surface comprising:
a flexible support comprising a back face and a front face, said back face of said support being adapted to abut on said surface during operation of said device, said flexible support being adapted to conform to the curvature profile of said surface to be climbed, said flexible support being suitably extended so as to distribute across said surface the weight of an operator climbing up said surface during operation of said device;
fastener for fastening said device so that the position of said device with respect to said surface is substantially constant during operation of said device, said fastener being connected to said support; and
climbing elements firmly fixed to said front face of said flexible support, said climbing elements being adapted to allow a user to climb up or be supported at a predetermined position on said surface.
7. The device according to claim 6, wherein said climbing elements comprise a plurality of steps, each step of said plurality of steps protruding outwards from said front face of said support.
8. The device according to claim 7, wherein at least one step of said plurality of steps comprises a rigid body so that, when the device is in operation, said at least one step is solid and cannot substantially be displaced from its original position by the weight of a user.
9. The device according to claim 7, wherein at least one of said steps comprises a pocket, said pocket being firmly fixed to said front face of said support.
10. The device according to claim 9, wherein said pocket of said at least one step comprises an aperture which can be alternatively closed and opened, said aperture for enabling introduction of a support element into said pocket and extraction of said support element from said pocket.
11. The device according to claim 7, wherein said support is formed so as to be continuous and free from cut-out portions between two consecutive steps of said plurality of steps.
12. The device according to claim 7, wherein said climbing elements comprise a plurality of handles adapted to be held by a user when climbing up said surface.
13. The device according to claim 12, wherein at least one handle of said plurality of handles is located at a position of said front face of said support between two consecutive steps of said plurality of steps.
14. The device according to claim 7, wherein at least one of said climbing elements is integrally formed with said support.
15. The device according to claim 7, wherein said climbing elements comprise a rubber or an elastomer.
16. The device according to claim 7, wherein said surface comprises an upper edge lying above a reference horizontal plane and wherein said fastener is adapted to fasten said device to said upper edge of said inclined surface.
17. The device according to claim 7, wherein said fastener comprises one or more strings, each one of said strings being adapted to be tied to a corresponding strut, the position of each said strut being constant with respect to the position of said inclined surface during operation of said device.
18. The device according to claim 6, wherein said fastener comprises one or more rings, each one of said rings being constrained to slide along a pole, the position of said pole being constant with respect to the position of said inclined surface during operation of said device.
19. The device according to claim 6, wherein said fastener comprises one or more suction pads adapted to be fixed to said inclined surface.
20. The device according to claim 6, wherein said flexible support comprises a rubber or an elastomer.
21. The device according to claim 6, wherein the width of said support is greater than the length of each one of said climbing elements.
22. The device according to claim 6, wherein said support has a width greater than 20 cm andor less than 80 cm.
23. The device according to claim 6, wherein said flexible support comprises a mat.

1. A biochip reader comprising:
a plurality of microlenses;
a light source irradiating an excitation light to a plurality of cells of a biochip respectively via said plurality of microlenses; and
a detector reading fluorescence image information from genes attached with fluorescent substances poured into said plurality of cells,
wherein said light source is configured to generate the excitation light composed of a part of strong light intensity and another part of weak light intensity, and
wherein on said biochip, genes of each cell are arranged so that genes are expressed less at the strong light intensity part and are expressed more at the weak light intensity part.
2. A biochip reader in accordance with claim 1, wherein said light source is configured to generate the excitation light that gives a light intensity distribution in which the intensity is strong at its center part and weak at the peripheral part.
3. A biochip reader in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a mask, arranged between said light source and the biochip, that cuts or attenuates part of the excitation light.
4. A biochip reader in accordance with claim 1 or 2, further comprising a zoom mechanism for changing the light intensity distribution of the excitation light corresponding to expression of genes on said biochip.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1-62. (canceled)
63. A staple drive assembly comprising:
a cartridge defining retention slots in a plurality of rows for retaining staples and having a proximal end and a distal end;
an actuation sled disposed in the cartridge;
a plurality of first staple pushers each having a first pusher plate in a first row, a second pusher plate in a second row, and a third pusher plate in a third row, the first staple pushers being adapted to eject three staples and being disposed in the cartridge in between the proximal end and the distal end of the cartridge; and
a second staple pusher having less than three pusher plates, the second staple pusher being adapted to eject less than three staple and being disposed at the proximal end of the cartridge.
64. The staple drive assembly according to claim 63, wherein:
the cartridge defines a longitudinal axis; and
the first pusher plate is longitudinally and laterally offset from the second pusher plate and the second pusher plate is longitudinally and laterally offset from the third pusher plate.
65. The staple drive assembly according to claim 64, wherein: each retention slot has a length along the longitudinal axis; and the first pusher plate is longitudinally and laterally offset from the second pusher plate by about two thirds of the retention slot length and the second pusher plate is longitudinally and laterally offset from the third pusher plate about two thirds of the retention slot length.
66. The staple drive assembly according to claim 63, wherein the first staple pushers each have a first cam surface adjacent a distal end of the first staple pusher and a second cam surface adjacent a proximal end of the first staple pusher.
67. The staple drive assembly according to claim 63, wherein the first pusher plate has a different height from at least one of the second pusher plate and the third pusher plate.
68. The staple drive assembly of claim 63, wherein the actuation sled includes spaced apart first and second cam wedges arranged to drive the first cam surface of each first staple pusher and the second cam surface of the first staple pusher.
69. The staple drive assembly of claim 63, wherein the cartridge includes a stepped tissue contacting surface.
70. The staple drive assembly of claim 63, further comprising staples of different heights.
71. A staple pusher for a staple cartridge having a longitudinal axis, comprising:
a first pusher plate, a second pusher plate laterally and longitudinally offset from the first pusher plate, and a third pusher plate laterally and longitudinally offset from the second pusher plate;
a cam surface adjacent a proximal end of the staple pusher; and
a cam surface adjacent a distal end of the staple pusher.
72. The staple pusher according to claim 71, wherein the first pusher plate has a different height from at least one of the second pusher plate and the third pusher plate.
73. The staple pusher according to claim 71, wherein the first pusher plate is longitudinally and laterally offset from the second pusher plate by about two thirds of the retention slot length and the second pusher plate is longitudinally and laterally offset from the third pusher plate about two thirds of the retention slot length.